Fire and Water
by warriorsman10
Summary: Rusty doesn't join Thunderclan but Riverclan. If I get 100 reviews I might make a book about Rusty joining Windclan.


Rusty was chasing a rabbit. It was the first one he had seen in a while, and he was having so much fun, he didn't notice where he was going until the rabbit disappeared into a large bush. That was when the new, unfamiliar scents hit his nose. The forest was huge, filled with trees, and very different from the way he imagined it. There was a gigantic river right in front of Rusty, and he shied away from it. Rusty wasn't too fond of water.

"A kittypet," a hiss came from behind him. "What is a kittypet doing in the forest?" Rusty turned around to see a unusually spotted yellow cat with broad shoulders, crouched and ready to pounce.

"Sorry, I was chasing a rabbit and I didn't know I was in the forest," Rusty explained. He surveyed her to see if she was a potential threat to him. He's heard of these types of cats before, his friend Smudge told him about them. They hunted mice, voles, and all types of other animals.

"Well, get out or I will make you get out," she growled. Rusty sat there in fear trying to think about what she said. "My patrol will get here soon so you better run," she warned urgently.

"Leopardfur, don't hurt that kittypet. He'll run off before you can say mouse," meowed a deep voice. Rusty looked beyond the she-cat to see three more cats approaching. A big smoky black tom was leading the other two other, smaller cats.

"Blackclaw," she growled. "Why shouldn't I hurt this weakling?"

"I'm not a weakling," Rusty growled back, trying not to look weak. Just saying that made him scared, but he pushed the feeling to the bottom of his stomach. The she-cat turned around and looked at him.

"Is that a challenge, because I'm ready if it is." As she said that, her claws unsheathed. Rusty pounced at the she-cat with claws unsheathed but she was too quick for him. She pounced on his back and started raking her claws down his spine. He yowled in pain and tried to throw her off but he didn't have enough strength. Finally, he managed to flip over when she was still on his back. She meowed angrily as Rusty scrambled free of her claws. He backed up a little and pounced directly at her back. She moved at the last second, causing Rusty to miss her back, but he scratched her flank.

"That's enough," somebody meowed sternly as Leopardfur positioned herself to pounce on Rusty again. _"Thank goodness,"_ Rusty thought. He couldn't take anymore of this.

"Come here Leopardfur; we need to talk," said Blackclaw, looking amused. Leopardfur padded over toward Blackclaw and they started murmuring something that Rusty couldn't hear.

"Are you mousebrained?" Leopardfur meowed, a little too loud.

It felt like moons before they finally stopped talking and turned to Rusty, who was waiting impatiently.

"Come with us," meowed Blackclaw.

"Okay?" I mewed softly. Rusty didn't know if he could trust them or not. Blackclaw started walking and signaled for the other cats to follow. Rusty's injuries throbbed in pain as he tried to keep up with their quick pace. This part of the forest was unknown to him. There was water droplets coming down from the tree leaves, and Rusty noticed they didn't bother Blackclaw at all. There were also many puddles of water here and there among the damp grass. They stopped right along the bank of the river that Rusty had noticed earlier. He eyed it apprehensively.

"Do we have to swim across?" Rusty asked nervously.

"Yes, did you think we would grow wings and fly across to the other side?" spat Leopardfur. Rusty watched as the other cats started into the river. They were kicking fiercely with their hind legs. After a few short minutes, it was Rusty's turn.

"Is the kittypet scared," meowed Leopardfur tauntingly.

"No, I'm not." Rusty said as he started across the river. It was so cold he thought he was going to jump out of his skin and he wondered if his fur had disappeared. His hind legs were kicking quickly in the water. He was out of breath when he got to the other side.

"Not bad for a kittypet," observed Leopardfur, but Rusty ignored her. His pelt was soaked. Blackclaw started walking again but with a slower pace this time. Rusty could smell a lot unfamiliar scents now. He guessed those scents were other cats.

"We're getting very close to camp now," meowed Blackclaw. Rusty could see two rocks with a gap between them, and he guessed they were the entrance to he camp. Rusty attracted a lot of curious looks from a bunch of cats when they passed through the rocks.

A yowl came from one of the cats staring at him.

"I thought I smelled a kittypet," he said, but Rusty ignored him.

"Stay here," mewed Blackclaw as he trotted into a little opening in a rock. Rusty stared interestingly at the opening where Blackclaw went. A huge gray cat with a crooked jaw came out with Blackclaw behind him. The gray cat jumped on to a high rock.

"Let all cats who can catch their own prey gather under high rock for a clan meeting," he yowled loudly.

"Since Riverclan has very few Warriors, Blackclaw and I have decided to let a kittypet to join our clan." Meows of protest could be heard from the cats below.

The gray cat started again, "He has injured our Leopardfur in a battle, and you all know that is not an easy feat. He is going to start out as a apprentice." He signaled with his tail for Rusty to come up to high rock. "You will now be known as Firepaw, at least until you achieve warrior status. Blackclaw will mentor you."

Firepaw was happy to get Blackclaw as his mentor. At least it would be a cat he was somewhat familiar with. Blackclaw walked up to Firepaw and touched muzzles with him.

"You're going to make a great warrior," he promised.

**To Be Continued**


End file.
